


Sentence Starters

by truth_renowned



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/M, Tumblr Prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-04-18 01:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 8,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14201844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truth_renowned/pseuds/truth_renowned
Summary: A group of unrelated peggysous fics using one-sentence starters from tumblr.





	1. "When was the last time you slept?"

“When was the last time you slept?”

Daniel started, lifting his head. Had he drifted off? Last he remembered, he’d been sitting at the dining table, budget documents spread out in front of him. He was still there but some of the papers were crumpled and warm to the touch. Rubbing a hand over his face, he felt the imprint of the pencil on his cheek.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

Peggy sat down beside him. “No need to apologize. Come to bed.”

“I will after I finish off these last pages.”

He picked up the pencil, and Peggy grabbed it from him and tossed it aside.

“No, Daniel. Now.”

“D.C. wants this tomorrow.”

“And D.C. will get it tomorrow. Right now, you need sleep. We’ll tackle this in the morning.”

He cocked his head. “We?”

“Yes, we,” she said, brushing her fingers over his day-old stubble.

“You shouldn’t have to be tortured by this.” He waved at the mess of papers in front of them.

“It’s not as torturous if you have company.”

“And you are very good company.”

She smiled as she stood. “Let’s go to bed.”

He gave her a leer but it must have been a bad attempt, because she laughed.

“Not for that,” she admonished. “You’re far too tired for any… strenuous activities.”

“Strenuous activities?” He grabbed his crutch. “Would you like to describe said activities?”

“I'd rather show you.” His eyes perked up before she added, “Tomorrow morning.”

With a sigh, he started down the hall. She looped her arm around his and they headed toward the bedroom.

“Don't worry,” she said, “I'll make it worth your while.”

She always did, he thought with a smile.


	2. "Is that blood?"

“Is that blood?”

Daniel reached out and swiped a finger over Peggy’s forehead. She looked at his finger and shrugged.

“Must be,” she said. “Not sure whose, though.”

Daniel’s finger brushed her forehead again. “Yours. You’re still bleeding.”

“Guess his knife made contact after all.” She put a hand on his cheek. “You’re already starting to bruise.”

“It’ll match the bruise I’m sure I have on my ribs,” he responded, then huffed out a laugh. “You know that normal newlyweds don't have these conversations, right?”

“We’re not normal newlyweds.”

“You are right about that.”

Her hand went from his cheek to his chest, and his hand slipped around her waist.

They both turned to see Jack Thompson enter the room. He looked at the four bodies on the floor, two of them silent and two writhing in pain. He then looked to Peggy and Daniel and sneered.

“Oh, come on, you two,” Jack said. “Wait until you get to the hotel room, for all our sakes, but especially mine.”

To spite him, Daniel leaned over and kissed Peggy. She enthusiastically returned the favor.

“I’m calling it in.” Jack added a derisive snort as he walked away.

“Was it something I said?” Daniel asked as soon as Jack was out of earshot.

Peggy laughed. “You do that just to aggravate him.”

“That, and I love kissing my wife.”

“I’m not sure which you prefer more.”

“I’m sure,” he said, leaning in for another kiss.

She pulled back. “Later, darling. We have a mess to clean up.”

“Right.” He whipped out a pair of handcuffs and got to work.


	3. "I immediately regret this decision"

“I immediately regret this decision,” Peggy said.

“What decision is that, dear?” The nurse fluffed her pillow and brought the blanket up toward her neck, which Peggy immediately pushed down. 

“The one where I refused the… what did you call it?”

“Twilight sleep,” the nurse replied, placing a scalpel and a pair of funny-looking scissors on the metal cart next to the bed. “I’m afraid it’s a bit too late for it now. You’re almost ready and the doctor should be here any moment.”

The nurse meant well, as she had been quite pleasant throughout Peggy’s stay, 8 hours and counting. Her friendly smile and jovial demeanor continuously tried to soothe her patient, and although she didn’t succeed, she kept trying. She’d mentioned her name to Peggy but damned if she remembered it. 

All Peggy Carter-Sousa wanted was for this to be over with.

Racked with another piercing pain to her gut, Peggy bit her tongue while tears sprang to her eyes. This was worse than any gunshot or beating she’d endured. Part of her wanted Daniel in the room and part of her didn’t want him to see her in such pain. It was a moot point, as the hospital stated that the husbands were not allowed in the delivery room. They had their own waiting room, and she could just see Daniel metaphorically climbing the walls. 

The birth of their child was an important part of their lives together, perhaps the most important, but they had to experience it separately.

“I’ll be back, dear,” the nurse said. “See what’s keeping the doctor.”

She left the room, and Peggy was hit with another contraction, this one so bad she moaned aloud. How many more before this child decided to join the world? 

The door opened to reveal a man dressed in hospital scrubs. A paper cap fully covered his hair, and his nose and mouth were hidden with a surgical mask. She’d never met the doctor before, so she was surprised to see he walked with a cane as he approached her. A cane that looked similar to Daniel’s...

The doctor took her hand, which Peggy thought was extremely inappropriate until he briefly pulled down the mask to reveal her husband.

“Daniel!” she whispered. “You’re not supposed to be in here.”

“They can’t tell it’s me. I can just be another doctor.”

“Where did you get this?” she asked, pointing to his attire.

“Supply closet.”

Peggy couldn’t help but smile. He was a spy, after all. Her smile disappeared as another contraction hit her, and she squeezed Daniel’s hand.

“Breathe, Peg,” he said softly. “Slow in, slow out.”

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, realizing that helped a little.

“What doctor walks with a cane?” she said through gritted teeth.

“I’m sure there are some.” He squeezed her hand. “I didn’t want you to go through this alone.”

Peggy wasn’t sure whether to cry or laugh. He couldn’t stand being out of the loop, even when it came to the birth of their child.

“You will get in trouble,” she said weakly.

“Let them try to take me out of the room. This is my child, too. Besides, I’m the reason you’re here.”

She managed a smile. “I think we both had something to do with it.”

“I know,” he said, smoothing her damp hair, “but I want to see him or her be born. And to be here for you.”

The tears she had kept at bay rushed down her cheeks. 

“Thank you,” was all she could manage.

Daniel stepped away from the bed as the door opened, and the nurse entered. Peggy suddenly remembered her name was Nurse Wargo. Or was it Walter? Whistler?

“Doctor, are we ready?” the nurse asked.

Peggy watched as Daniel’s eyes widened.

“Uh,” he said, “almost.”

Peggy caught the arch of the nurse’s eyebrows. She was sure Daniel would be found out, but the nurse whispered something in Daniel’s ear, and he nodded. 

“Doctor Sandstrom is on his way, _doctor_ ,” the nurse said. “I’m Nurse Whitman, by the way.”

The door slammed open, and a tall man stormed into the room. His dark, curly hair peeked out from the sides of the paper cap, and the mask covered just his mouth, leaving a high forehead, bulbous nose and close-set eyes as his only visible facial features. Peggy couldn’t help thinking that the mask hid a scowl.

“You sure she’s ready?” the doctor said.

“Yes,” Nurse Whitman said. “The baby’s head is crowning.”

Peggy managed to punctuate the point with a long, crescendoing moan, the strongest contraction so far shaking her body.

The doctor stared at Daniel, as if he had just noticed him in the room.

“Who is this?” the doctor snapped to the nurse.

“New resident. He’s here to observe. He’s from…”

“Los Angeles,” Daniel offered. “LA County Hospital.”

Peggy could tell by his expression that the doctor was suspicious but he sat at the end of the gurney.

“They never tell me when these guys are going to show up,” Dr. Sandstrom mumbled with a shake of his head.

Nurse Whitman wheeled the cart next to the doctor, and he took the surgical gloves and snapped them on.

“We’re ready,” Dr. Sandstrom said to Peggy. “Every time I ask you to push, I need you to push, hard.”

Peggy did as he said, the pain excruciating, but knowing Daniel was there for support made it almost bearable.

Almost.


	4. "I'm scared"

“I'm scared.”

Daniel looked at Aloysius Samberly with a disdain that didn't need to be voiced. But he voiced it anyway.

“You're the one who begged to be in the field.”

“I was wrong,” Samberly said with whimper. “I wanna go back to my lab.”

“A little late for that, isn't it?” 

For the umpteenth time, Daniel tested the restraints binding his legs and arms to the chair. Nope, still sturdy. 

“What are they going to do to us, Chief?”

“How should I know? I’m one of the good guys.”

Samberly whimpered again, and Daniel rolled his eyes. He should have known better than to allow Samberly to come on this raid. It was Peggy’s idea, and he supposed she had a point that if they hit paydirt with the weapons cache, Samberly would be able to identify the weapons faster than he or any of the agents could. But still. It was a bad idea, and if he made it out of this alive, he would be sure to let Peggy know just how terrible the idea was. 

The reason they had been captured was because Samberly opened his big mouth, yammering on about how exciting it was to be in the field, and his boisterous voice alerted the bad guys to their presence. Hence their current predicament, tied to a chair in a locked cell. Much to Daniel’s dismay, they hadn’t gagged Samberly.

“If we tell ‘em what we know,” Samberly said, “you think they’ll let us go?”

“We don’t know anything!”

Daniel’s disdain look was back, with an added touch of ‘are you serious’ and ‘I can’t believe I okayed you being here’. Where the hell were Peg and the rest of the backup team?

Samberly visibly shrank. “Just asking.”

“Let’s keep the questions to ourselves and concentrate on how to get the hell out of here,” Daniel said flatly, trying his best to keep the anger out of his tone but not succeeding.

“I don’t feel so good,” Samberly said, his swallow so loud Daniel could hear it.

Daniel sighed heavily. It was enough that he was captured but to be captured and tossed into a cell with this buffoon -- again! -- was too much. Maybe being offed wouldn’t be so bad…

The sound of a scuffle down the hall caught Daniel’s attention, a cacophony of grunts, groans and thuds. Two gunshots reverberated off the walls, then more grunts and yet another whimper from Samberly. Several seconds later, the most beautiful sight stood before Daniel, holding a keyring in her hand.

“Ready to go?” Peggy asked.

“More than ready,” Daniel said as she unlocked the cell door.

She crouched in front of Daniel, utility knife in hand. She slit the ropes surrounding his legs, and quickly moved to remove the binds from his wrists. Peggy then went to work on Samberly.

“We found the weapons,” Peggy said as she finished cutting Samberly free. “Agents Fletcher and Harris are standing guard. Doctor Samberly, Agent Lee will take you them to catalog the weapons. Please be as thorough and careful as possible.”

“You can count on me, Agent Carter. You too, Chief. Oh do you think I have time to find a bathroom--”

“Samberly, just go!” Daniel yelled.

Samberly cringed, then scurried from the room.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him move that fast,” Peggy said.

“He knows to get the hell out of my face.” He grabbed his crutch, which had been tossed against the back wall of the cell. “And by the way, about Samberly being in the field…”

“It wasn’t such a bad idea, was it?” Off his narrow-eyed look, she added, “Oh… well... he just needs more time. He’s trainable.”

“So’s a monkey but I’m not taking one of those on my next raid, either.”

“Daniel,” she admonished.

“I mean it, Peg. He’s never going in the field again.”

“Never say never,” she said. “I seem to remember you never thought we’d be together.”

He smiled. “I was wrong about that.”

“And perhaps you’re wrong about Doctor Samberly.”

He shot her another contemptuous look as he walked away.

“Or not,” she mumbled as she followed him out of the cell.


	5. "Is that my shirt?"

“Is that my shirt?”

Peggy turned from the coffee maker and watched Daniel enter into the kitchen using what he called his ‘house transportation’: a pair of beat-up wooden crutches she suspected were as old as his injury. He was shirtless, wearing only pajama bottoms with one leg cut off. 

“It was the first thing I saw on the floor,” she said, fingering the hem of the light green dress shirt, which barely covered her bum.

He stopped in front of her and propped the crutches against the refrigerator. She smiled as he leaned into her, trapping her between his warm body and the counter.

“Looks better on you than on me,” he said.

“I don’t know about that. I quite like it on you.” Her hands settled on his bare chest. “Though I like this.” Her fingers leisurely traveled down and stopped at the elastic waistband. “If you lose these, it would be even better.”

“Gonna need another nap to keep up with you,” he said with a chuckle.

“You’re doing just fine keeping up with me.” She gave him a quick kiss. “You should know by now that I do nothing halfway.”

“I do know that about you.” 

He returned the kiss, though there was nothing quick about it. She’d thought the kiss they shared in his office was as passionate as a kiss could get. She soon found out she was wrong. This kiss, for example, was one for the record books, though she had several others to choose from. And the sex? Better than she thought possible. They had moved fast, which was her style, but perhaps it was too fast for him?

“We could slow down,” she said against his lips.

“Why?” He pulled back, suddenly tentative. “Unless you want to.”

Peggy marveled at how he went from confident to awkward in a matter of seconds. This was still new, and she couldn't shake the feeling he thought it would be fleeting, a fiery fling born in the heat of the Isodyne battle that would fizzle out once safety had been restored.

She needed to nip that fallacy in the bud right now.

“I'm very happy, Daniel,” she said. “With everything.”

His expression softened, and the smile on his face pierced her heart.

“Full speed ahead then,” he said, his finger tracing her collarbone.

“Aye, aye, captain.”

His laugh was cut short by her lips slamming into his.


	6. "How did we get in this mess?"

“How did we get in this mess?” Peggy asked.

Jack looked at her like she was crazy. Which she was, as far as he was concerned.

“Asks the woman who got us into this mess,” he said.

“I did not! It was your big mouth expounding on how irresponsible I am that got us discovered.”

“Whose idea was it to come here in the first place, without backup?”

“It was strictly reconnaissance. And you followed me here.”

“Only because I knew you shouldn’t come alone.”

She smiled sweetly. “Gee, Jack, I didn’t know you cared.”

He glared at her, only because since his hands were bound, he couldn’t reach out and strangle her.

“Did you at least tell Sousa where you were going?” Off her pained look, he added bitterly, “Of course you didn't tell him.”

“The less he knows the better. He could get in trouble from the higher-ups.”

Jack huffed. “But it's okay for _me_ to get in trouble? I'm a chief too, you know.”

“I'm well aware of your standing in the SSR,” she replied, her words clipped. “Los Angeles isn't your jurisdiction. Besides, you’re still on medical leave. You could blame your medications on a momentary lapse of judgment. Daniel doesn’t have that luxury.”

“Yeah, taking a bullet to the chest is a real luxury, Marge.”

“I… I didn’t mean it that way,” she replied, visibly flustered.

He knew she didn't mean it but he found so much joy in pushing her buttons. At least it kept her quiet for a few minutes. It gave him time to think, which he soon realized was an exercise in futility. They were in an abandoned building that stood amongst several other abandoned buildings. Their hands were bound with rope and secured to a metal pipe, probably a sewer line. 

Very fitting, he thought. The perfect place to be in deep shit.

“Since this is your fault, Carter, what are you going to do to fix it?”

“You’re a _chief_ , you know,” she said in a snide tone. “What are _you_ going to do to fix it?”

“How about you stop fighting and _I’ll_ fix it?”

Jack turned to see Sousa standing the doorway, gun in hand. 

“How did you know…?” Jack cut himself off. Of course Sousa knew. He was sleeping with this crazy woman, not to mention that he knew her recklessness and single-mindedness all too well.

“Nice of you two to argue loud enough for me to find you,” Sousa said, holstering his gun and pulling out a pocket knife.

It didn’t escape Jack’s notice that Sousa attended to his girl first, freeing her hands before working on Jack’s bindings.

“It’s her fault we’re here,” Jack said.

“It is not!” Peggy countered.

Sousa held up a hand. “Could you two continue arguing once we leave? Preferably when I’m out of earshot. Right now I have to oversee the seizure of the largest cache of machine guns I’ve ever seen.”

“So my informant was right,” Peggy said with a prideful smile. 

“Your informant was right,” Sousa replied, “but you were wrong to come here without backup. You know better, Peggy.”

“I… But there wasn't time.”

Jack didn’t try to stifle his snicker.

“And you,” Sousa continued, glaring at Jack, “should know better than her. When you saw that Peggy was going off on her own, you should have contacted me.”

“I…” Jack sneered at Peggy. “But there wasn’t time.”

Peggy scoffed at him parroting her words and started to complain but footsteps quieted her.

“Chief,” one of Sousa's agents said, stopping in the doorway, “you need to see this.”

“More weapons?”

“I think so.”

Sousa raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, you think so?”

“This is stuff I can't explain. It's two rooms down from here. Harris and Cady are in there.”

Sousa nodded. “Fletcher, take Chief Thompson to the gun stash and start cataloging.” He turned to Peggy. “Carter, with me.”

Jack wanted to complain about being relegated to lesser work but he saw the look on Sousa’s face, a look that made Peggy look away in… was that embarrassment on her face? 

Nah, Jack thought. She was too proud to be embarrassed. But Sousa was pissed, and that affected her more than she would let on.

As he followed Fletcher, Jack smiled. At least there was someone in this world who could keep Marge in check. Kind of.


	7. "I think I might be pregnant"

“I think I might be pregnant.”

Peggy looked at Daniel, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. They’d agreed to wait, at least until SHIELD was more stable. They’d even been using protection. Most of the time, anyway. 

He was silent, his expression unreadable. This was unusual, as he normally wore his feelings in the set of his mouth and creases (or lack thereof) in his forehead. She could tell what he was thinking just by his face. Not this time, though. The one time she needed to know what he was thinking and she was in the dark.

“Did you hear me?” she asked, angry at the pathetic tone of her voice. 

She hated feeling vulnerable, and this was as vulnerable as she’d felt in years. Tears welled in her eyes and she was doing all she could to keep them right where they were.

“I heard you. I just…”

“I know,” she replied quickly. “I don’t know what happened. I mean, I _know_ what happened, but I… we were careful and--”

“Peggy.”

“--it may not be true, though I’ve never been late before. I have to go to the doctor to know for sure--”

“Peg.”

“--that’s what I’ll do, I should have done that in the first place, I’m sorry--”

“Peggy!”

She flinched, her name in that tone like a slap to the face. He was angry. She should have been more careful. She should have checked with the doctor first. It was her fault. 

She flinched again when he took her hands in his. 

“I’m not upset,” he said softly. “I’m shocked, yes, but I’m not unhappy. I’m thrilled, actually.”

The broad, sincere smile on his lips broke the dam, tears tracking down her cheeks.

“I was so scared,” she said, hiccupping through the tears. “We wanted to wait.”

“I know, but it’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

“It’s going to be hard. SHIELD is still so new.”

“Since when have we ever done anything the easy way, Peg?”

She huffed out a laugh.

“We’ll make this work,” he added, his hand cupping her cheek, thumb brushing away a tear. “Together, we are unstoppable.”

She took his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it. “Thank you.”

“No, thank _you_ ,” he said. “You’re making me something I never thought I would be. A father.”

She looked in his eyes and saw tears there, which made her cry even more. She laid her head on his shoulder.

“Look at us, sobbing idiots,” she said with a sigh.

“Sobbing idiot soon-to-be-parents. Poor kid.” 

She laughed against his neck. He was right. They were going to be okay. They were unstoppable.


	8. “I’ve had a rough day and, honestly, all I want right now is a drink and someone to cuddle with”

“I’ve had a rough day and, honestly, all I want right now is a drink and someone to cuddle with.”

When Peggy flopped onto the couch and made that declaration, Daniel couldn’t stop his jaw from dropping. She didn’t notice, though, with her arm flung over her eyes. 

As he poured a glass of whisky for her and one for himself, he thought about the last time she used the word ‘cuddle’. Forget last time; this was the _only_ time he'd heard that word leave her lips.

“Drink and cuddle on their way,” he said, limping to the couch. “You must be really tired.”

“Exhausted. And perhaps a bit randy.” She took the glass from him and drained half its contents in one gulp.

He smiled as he sat next to her. “I like randy.”

“Unfortunately, I’m too exhausted and sore to do anything about it.”

“Very unfortunate.” He took the glass from her and placed both on the side table.

“Give me a hot bath and few hours’ nap, and we should be able to settle the randiness.” She curled up in his arms, her head on his shoulder. “But first, cuddle.”

“At your service, ma’am.”

She hummed her approval.


	9. “I think you’ll be happy to know that I’m not wearing any underwear”

“I think you’ll be happy to know that I’m not wearing any underwear.”

Daniel swallowed, hoping no one in the room heard it or the whimper that went along with it. Did she just say…? No, she couldn’t have. He must have misunderstood. 

He glanced at her, finding a mischievous smile on her lips. It was one of those proverbial ‘cat that ate the canary’ smiles. Or more like ‘I’m not wearing any underwear’ smiles.

Nope, he didn’t misunderstand her.

Peggy wasn’t wearing any underwear.

In public.

They were at Stark’s house for some soiree of some sort. He still wasn’t sure what they were celebrating. He didn’t want to be here. He knew Peggy didn’t want to be here. Yet here they were, in room full of strangers, all dressed up.

Except… under that red dress he loved so much, with the little criss-cross at the top and the cinched-in waist, was nothing. Not technically nothing. She had on stockings, no doubt a garter holding them up. But other than that, nothing. 

Thank God he had on a suit jacket and it was buttoned. It was covering his reaction to the fact that…

Peggy wasn’t wearing any underwear.

Why did she tell him that? It was like telling a child it was Christmas but he wasn’t allowed to open any of his presents. Okay, it was absolutely nothing like that but it was the best he could come up with. His brain was otherwise occupied.

He glanced at her again, taking a big swig from his glass of whisky.

“Problem, darling?” she whispered in his ear.

He spit out the whisky, the spray narrowly missing her dress. Luckily, no one noticed.

“You know there is,” he said between clenched teeth. “Why are you not…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud: Why are you not wearing any underwear?

Her only answer was the mischievous smile. Again.

“Are you trying to kill me?” he asked.

“Kill? No. Excite? Yes.”

“Mission accomplished. Are you really not…?”

She shook her head, and he whimpered again.

“How much longer do we have to be here?” he asked.

“Just until after dinner.” She looped her arm through his and kissed his cheek. “Maybe another hour.” 

He sighed. This woman was going to be the death of him. But, oh, what a way to go.


	10. “You’re so cute when you’re half asleep like this”

“You’re so cute when you’re half asleep like this.”

Peggy kept her eyes closed, not wanting to fully wake up.

“I’m cuter when I have a good night’s rest,” she replied, her voice sleep-slurred.

“Not true. You couldn’t get any prettier than right now.”

“I have no makeup on, I’m sure my hair is a rat’s nest, and I need a shower.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

She opened her eyes and found Daniel looking at her with the softest eyes and smile. His hair, normally curly, was sticking up every which way, and he had a dot of dried saliva in the corner of his mouth. He was disheveled and sleep-deprived, yet he couldn’t be more attractive.

“You’re not looking so bad yourself,” she said, brushing her fingers along his stubbled jawline.

“You must still be asleep.”

She shook her head and wrapped her hand around his neck, pulling him closer.

“I’m wide awake now,” she said before closing her lips over his for a slow kiss.

He pulled back far too soon. “Got a meeting in an hour. We both do.”

“Bloody hell.” She flopped back down on the mattress. “Just once, I’d like a day to do nothing.”

He hovered over her, propped up on an elbow, a look of wonder on his face. “Who are you and what did you do with Peggy Carter?”

She scoffed.

“I’ve never known you to sit still for more than a few minutes,” he continued. “Where is this coming from?”

“We haven’t had a bloody minute to ourselves since…”

Since the kiss in his office. Since finding out Jack had been shot.

“That’s not true,” he countered. “We’ve had several minutes, hours even. Just last night…”

His voice faded as his eyebrow quirked and a sly smile curled the corners of his mouth. She had to fight her own smile as she remembered last night. 

“But that was the exception, not the rule. And it was wonderful.” She ran two fingers along the length of his chest, collarbone to navel. “I want more of that.”

“So do I.” He covered her hand with his. “We just need to find a balance.”

“How? With the caseload and searching for Jack’s shooter…”

As she heard her words, she knew Daniel was right. What _had_ come over her? Normally she had one speed: the highest, especially when it came to work. It was her life. But being with Daniel had her thinking maybe there was more to life than work. And she had every intention of exploring that hypothesis.

“You’re right,” she said. “We’ll figure it out together.”

“Together.” He smiled. “We do that so well.”

She couldn’t agree more.


	11. "I can’t believe I got the first date, let alone a year"

“I can’t believe I got the first date, let alone a year.”

Peggy lifted her head from Daniel’s chest. “Why do you say that?”

Normally she wasn’t a talker, but something about that post-coital bliss sent her emotions running wild, which invariably loosened her lips. She’d noticed it loosened his as well.

“Let’s face it,” he replied with a shrug. “We’re an unlikely couple.”

“I don’t think so.”

“I do. I never thought you would want someone like me.”

“Like you? A brave, smart, handsome man?”

He fought a smile. “Uh… thank you but that’s not what I meant.”

She knew exactly what he meant. They had been together for a year, yet there still was a Steve-Rogers-shaped elephant in the room. No matter what she said or did, that elephant remained. It was time to relegate the pachyderm to its rightful place.

“Because I was Captain America’s girl?”

He tilted his head slightly, then looked away.

“I was never Captain America’s girl, Daniel. Steve Rogers’ girl, yes, but not Captain America’s.”

He looked up. “I know, I’m sorry. They were two different men to you.”

“Captain America was a public persona. Steve was the real man, the one I truly cared for. And he was a man, just that, Daniel. When it comes down to it, he was a man with feelings and faults, just like any man.”

She remembered their final kiss, the only kiss they shared in the presence of others. From the beginning, their relationship wasn’t a secret, at least not to Phillips and the Howling Commandos. And later on, the only reason the world knew was thanks to that bloody newsreel clip of her photograph in Steve’s compass. 

“What Steve and I had was surrounded by war,” she continued. “We were drawn together by the need to stop HYDRA.” She huffed out a laugh. “You could say that he and I were an unlikely couple.”

“Both determined, both courageous. I don’t see that as unlikely.”

“Hmmm, seems like you just described us.”

He smiled. “Touché.”

“Steve belonged to the world and he knew it from the minute he received the serum. And I knew it, too. I could see it in his eyes. His mission in life all along was to make a difference, and I know he would continue to do so. He would go wherever the world needed him. It was a noble cause, and I admired and loved him for it, and wouldn’t want to discourage him from it. But honestly, that would not be the best foundation on which to build a lasting relationship.”

“It could have worked,” he said.

“Maybe, maybe not, but I refuse to dwell on it.” She sighed. “I spent far too long reliving the past. It took some time, but I finally allowed myself move on.” She looked at him until he met her gaze. “Steve Rogers will always be a part of my life. My _past_ life. Just as Violet will always be a part of your past life. Our pasts helped shape who we are today. The pain from my past is still there, it will never go away completely, but I wouldn’t change anything. If it weren’t for what I went through, I wouldn’t have met you.”

She splayed her hand over his heart. “I don’t want to live in the past. I want to live in the present. I want to live for the future. A future in which you have a prominent role, I hope.”

“I want that, too, Peg.”

She shifted against him, moving her face closer to his to give him a soft kiss. 

“I want to marry you, Daniel. If you’ll have me.”

She took in a sharp breath as he kissed her with an intensity that surprised her. They were never shy, but this one kiss told her everything she needed to know. He loved her. He wanted her. Unlikely or not, they were meant for each other.

“I take that is a ‘yes’?” she asked as she pulled back to look at him.

He nodded, and his smile took her breath away.

She watched as a flood of emotions washed over his face: disbelief, happiness, love, and -- finally what she wanted to see -- acceptance. Acceptance that her past was just that: her past. 

The future was theirs.


	12. I don’t know what’s wrong, okay? I’m just… really tired

“I don’t know what’s wrong, okay? I’m just… really tired.”

Peggy added a sigh for effect, though Agent Rose Roberts hardly needed it. She could tell from her boss’s slouch and red-rimmed eyes that it had been a while since Peggy Carter-Sousa — Director Carter to the rest of the agents and staff at SHIELD — had a good night’s sleep.

Rose glanced at Daniel, whose forehead was lined with worry. It wasn’t a surprise that Peggy worked herself harder than anyone in the office, but it never showed except to those who knew her well. Rose had her fingers on the pulse of the other agents and thankfully, no one had noticed the changes in the director’s appearance or demeanor. 

However, after Peggy’s blunder in the meeting that just ended, reading her notes meant for another meeting to the bewildered agents, that might change. It was a quick fix, as Peggy’s secretary, Blanche, was right outside at her desk and able to get the correct notes in the conference room immediately, but the damage was done. Rose didn’t miss the looks from a few of the agents, the looks that silently said ‘the director’s off her rocker’.

Rose gathered the stray papers on the table. “Have you called a doctor?”

“No time,” Peggy said, head down, leaning her elbows on the table.

“I think you need to make time, Peg.”

“I told her the same thing,” Daniel offered.

“Then she needs to listen.”

“ _She_ is right here, you know,” Peggy said, trying to sound cross but her heart wasn’t in it. “I’m just feeling a bit under the weather. It will blow over.”

Daniel shook his head. “It’s been two weeks. If it was a cold, it would have been gone by now.”

“You’re a worrywart,” Peggy replied. “And it’s not a cold. I have no cough or fever. I’m just… tired.”

Rose pursed her lips. “No symptoms other than being tired?”

“She isn’t eating,” Daniel said, his expression flat even as his wife glared at him.

“I eat,” Peggy replied, defiant.

Daniel tilted his head. “So what did you have for breakfast?”

“I ate… last night.” 

Rose was more concerned with Peggy’s defeated tone than her words.

“If you’re not hungry, it could be the flu,” Rose said.

“I’m hungry, just… well, not in the mornings. Food doesn’t sit well then. By supper time I’ll be okay.”

Rose kept her expression as calm as possible. Maybe Blanche was right after all. Time to find out.

“So,” Rose ventured after a long pause, “you feel nauseous in the mornings.” Off Peggy’s nod, she added, “Have you noticed that your clothes are fitting tighter?”

Peggy’s eyes widened. “Oh dear God, please tell me it’s not that noticeable. I changed dresses three times this morning to find one that didn’t make it seem I was stuffed into it like a sausage.”

Rose tried her best, she really did, but she couldn’t stop the laughter from bubbling up and spilling out. She covered her mouth with her hand, which did little to stem the giggly tide.

“Just what is so bloody funny?” Peggy asked, her weariness now replaced with anger.

Rose shook her head but couldn’t speak for several seconds. She finally stopped laughing but her happiness at this turn of events refused to be contained.

“You’re not sick, Peg,” Rose said through her wide smile. “You’re pregnant.”

“No,” Peggy said sharply. She repeated the word two times in slow succession, her voice getting softer with each iteration. Then finally: “You really think I’m...?”

Rose nodded. 

“But… pregnant?” Peggy added.

Rose nodded again.

“Pregnant?” Daniel said, his wide-eyed gaze going from Peggy to Rose and back again. “Pregnant as in… pregnant?”

Peggy smiled, her expression softening as the realization hit her. “It all makes sense now.”

Rose assumed there were other signs, such as missed periods, but she wasn’t going there, especially with Daniel present.

“I’m no doctor,” Rose said, “so you’d better make an appointment so he can confirm it, but I’m pretty sure.”

No response from Peggy or Daniel, as they were staring at each other, but Rose wasn’t surprised. She had to hold back another laugh. These two were smart, two of the smartest people she knew, yet being pregnant wasn’t even a blip on their radar. 

Quickly getting the feeling she was a third wheel, Rose pointed at the door and said, “I’ll just… uh… go… now.” 

Neither Peggy nor Daniel noticed or acknowledged her exit, and she didn’t care. This was a moment for them to share, alone.

Rose closed the conference room door behind her and walked the dozen or so steps to Blanche’s desk. Sitting behind the desk didn’t afford a view inside the conference room, but on this side of the desk, Rose could see Daniel stand, then Peggy, both with looks of wonderment on their faces.

Blanche Amhurst was Peggy’s first and only secretary at SHIELD. She was Rose’s age and had the same sense of humor, which was why they got along so well.

“Meeting go okay?” Blanche asked, not needing to add ‘after the director’s snafu’.

“Yeah, all good.” Rose sighed, then added, “I’m headed to Reuben’s Delicatessen. What can I get you?”

Blanche looked surprised. “Um… nothing. I brought my lunch.”

“It’s on me.” 

Blanche’s eyebrows raised, and after a few seconds, her red-stained lips formed an ‘o’, which quickly morphed into a smile.

“I knew it!” she exclaimed, then lowered her voice. “I knew I was right. The Director hasn’t missed a meal since I started working here. And her dresses haven’t been fitting right, like she’s gained weight. Two plus two, Rose.”

“Yeah, yeah, it equals a free lunch for you.”

Blanche put her hands together, obviously reveling in her triumph. “Did you ask her? What did she say?”

“She had no idea,” Rose replied. “It wasn’t even a thought that occurred to her.”

“How could she not know she was pregnant?”

Rose thought of several reasons, not the least of which was Peg moved a million miles a minute and wouldn’t be concerned with things like missed periods and weight gain, but she kept it to herself.

“Everyone’s different,” Rose replied. “Look, keep this under wraps, okay?”

“Mum’s the word, Rose. I promise.”

Of all the people in the office, she knew she could take Blanche at her word. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, it was the male agents who were the worst gossips.

“So, my order for lunch,” Blanche said, a cockiness invading her tone. “It’s a lengthy one. Let me write it down for you.”

Rose rolled her eyes, then glanced back at the conference room just in time to see Daniel place his hand on Peggy’s stomach. She covered her hand with his, and Rose teared up at the sight of the couple’s smiles. 

This was one bet Rose was happy to lose.


	13. “Take off your shirt”

“Take off your shirt.”

Peggy looked over her shoulder. “I know you want me, Daniel, but you could at least wait until we’re fully inside the house.”

He huffed out a laugh as he closed the door behind him. “I do want you, but I’d prefer to look at the knife wound first.”

“Oh bollocks,” she said, turning to face him. “It’s just a nick.”

“Humor me, okay? Off with the shirt.”

“Yes, Chief.”

She could practically hear his eye roll as she faced away from him again and worked the buttons. She winced as she pulled at the shirt; the silk had stuck to the wound on her back. A warm hand settled at the back of her neck, gently tugging at the collar, then peeling the fabric away and down her shoulder.

“Nick, huh?” His finger lightly traced a stripe longer than the length of her shoulder blade.

“It can’t be that bad.”

“It’s not that good, either, but I don’t think you need stitches.”

“Kiss and make it better?” she teased.

“How about I clean it out instead?”

“I’d prefer the kiss.”

She felt his hands on her shoulders, and she turned to face him. His hands framed her face as his mouth descended on hers. It wasn’t a ‘I hope you feel better’ kiss. It was a promise of what was to come later. A familiar warmth pooled in her belly, headed for parts quite known. Damn but this man could kiss! And do other things to make her happy and sated.

He pulled back slowly, just as reluctant as she to break the kiss, and leaned his forehead against hers.

“How’s that?” he whispered.

She hummed her approval. “I feel better already.”


	14. "My clothes look good on you"

“My clothes look good on you.”

Peggy smiled as she straightened Daniel’s light-blue shirt over her hips. It was just long enough to hit the tops of her thighs. The too-long sleeves were pushed up to mid-forearm. She’d buttoned the bottom four buttons, giving her very little modesty but still covering enough to tease him.

“I don’t think I could say the same about you,” she said with a mischievous grin.

“I don’t know…” He sat up in bed, the sheet shifting lower to cover him only from the hips down, leaving her an enticing view of his bare torso. “I think I’d look pretty swanky in that red dress of yours.”

“Sadly, red isn’t your color. Maybe one of my blue dresses. Now, what do you want to eat?”

His answering grin was nothing short of predatory.

“I meant food-wise,” she added, trying not to laugh.

“Whatever you can find in the icebox that doesn’t look like a science experiment.”

“Lucky for you, I smuggled some fruit and wine from Howard’s in my overnight bag.”

She sidestepped her dress, his trousers, one of her shoes and various underthings to get to the doorway.

“Hey, Peg?”

She turned to face him, her head cocked to the side.

“Have you thought about living… somewhere else?”

“What do you mean? Howard’s is fine, though a little far from the office.” She paused, wondering if the location wasn’t the issue. “Do you have a problem with me living at Howard’s?”

“No, not at all,” he replied quickly. “Having access to Stark’s place has been invaluable, and it’s pretty nice digs for you. I just thought with you deciding to stay in Los Angeles and all…” He ended with a shrug.

She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. He was right. Having made her transfer to California official a few weeks ago, she hadn’t thought about what she would do for permanent housing. Or as permanent as she was used to, anyway. She couldn’t stay at Howard’s indefinitely.

“Yes,” she finally replied, “I suppose I should look for other living arrangements. I’ll pick up the newspaper on the way in to work tomorrow and check the want ads for a room.”

“You could do that,” he said with a slow nod. 

Sensing the hesitation in his voice, she headed back to the bed. “But…?”

“Well… there’s one place I know that might work. It’s much closer to work than Stark’s. The kitchen could use some stocking but it’s fully functional. It’s not a mansion but it has more than enough room for the… for two people.”

What was he talking about? She hadn’t heard of any of the secretaries needing a roommate, but perhaps it was a new development. Or did he mean Rose? That would be odd since she’d mentioned to Peggy many times how much she enjoyed living alone. No, if Rose were thinking of taking on a roommate, she would have said something. Who in the world could he be talking about? Who else…

As if the proverbial light bulb went on over her head, she suddenly realized what he meant.

“Daniel, are you asking me to move in with you?”

“Not if you don’t want to,” he answered immediately.

“That’s not what I asked.” She sat on the edge of the bed. 

“It’s just a suggestion,” he said with a shrug. “Maybe not a good one. It would probably look bad. Living together, not married, your virtue in question.”

She barked out a laugh. “I have been living with a world-famous playboy for the past two months. I think there’s no question what others think of my virtue, and frankly I couldn’t care less.” She felt her smile fade. “Do you really want me to move in here? Not just because I need somewhere to live but because… well, because you want me here.”

“I want that more than anything.” He toyed with the hem of the shirt, then looked up at her. “The question is… do you want that?”

_That was the question, wasn’t it?_ she thought.

Things had been going well, despite not having much time to themselves between investigating the attempted murder of Jack and an overflowing workload for the Los Angeles office. But overall, balancing their professional and personal lives was easier than she thought possible. 

Still, moving in with someone wasn’t just a small step; it was a huge leap. It meant not just living for today but planning for the future, something she wasn’t accustomed to doing.

Was she ready to take that leap? Did she want to move in with Daniel? Did she see a future with him? Did she want a future with him?

She quickly realized the answer to all of the above was an unequivocal yes, and that realization flooded her body with a contentment she hadn’t felt for years.

Focusing on his expression, she saw myriad emotions playing across his face, the most prevalent being the worry lines creasing his forehead.

“I do want to live with you,” she said, lacing her fingers with his. “I want us to be under one roof. No sneaking you into Howard’s. No sneaking out of Howard’s to spend the night here. I want to be here. I want…” She sighed. “It’s been so long since I’ve had a home. I’ve had places to stay, naturally, but they were just that. I felt little if any connection to them. Being here with you has given me a glimpse of being home… though, of course, this is your home--”

“No, Peg,” he interrupted. “It will be our home. To be honest, this has never felt like home to me. Just a place to stay, like you said. But with you here... I know it will finally feel like home.”

She felt the tug of his hand, and she leaned toward him, lightly touching her lips to his for a soft, sweet kiss. She pulled back, unable to keep from smiling. He did the same, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip. Her tongue peeked out, swiping at his skin.

“I’ve changed my mind,” he said just above a whisper.

Her face must have reflected her shock because he grinned and added, “I meant food-wise. I’m not hungry anymore.”

She wasn’t sure whether to punch him in the arm or snog him silly. She settled on the latter, the kiss starting playful but quickly deepening until they needed to part to breathe.

“I guess you’re not hungry, either,” he said, and she shook her head.

Foregoing the buttons, he lifted his shirt over Peggy’s head and tossed it away to join its companions on the floor. She moved closer to him, tucking her legs under her and placing her hand over his heart. His hand smoothed over her arm, elbow to wrist and back again. It was a gentle gesture he did often in private, and it always filled her with comfort. 

“What about work?” she asked.

“What about it? We continue as we have. As far as I know, no one but Rose knows about us.” His eyebrow arched slightly. “The only minor glitch I see will be us arriving and leaving work separately, since you don’t have a car.”

She waved off his comment. “I’ve been borrowing one of Howard’s automobiles this entire time, thanks to Mr. Jarvis. Howard hasn’t even noticed its absence. I can’t imagine my using it would change if I check out of Chez Stark. Even if it did, Mr. Jarvis will make sure I am equipped with a way to get around.”

He nodded, his hand moving from her arm to her waist, pulling her closer. “We’ll make this work regardless, Peg. We’ve always been good at teamwork.”

She glanced over her shoulder at the clothes littering the carpet, then looked back at him. “I suppose that means I’ll have to help clean up this mess.”

“That’s how…” His voice trailed off as her fingernails brushed long stripes from his chest down to his abdomen. “That’s how it works, Peg. We share the cleaning, cooking… all of the chores that come with having a home.”

_Having a home_ , she thought. They were really doing this, taking that huge leap, yet she didn’t feel an ounce of apprehension.

She leaned forward, her breath feathering his ear before she whispered, “I can live with that.”


End file.
